A Study of Heroes
by KoopaSensei
Summary: Shel'ra, an anthropologist who specializes in studying mythical heroes, finds the ultimate prize in ancient woods. But there's more to be found than she expected.
1. The Hero of the Wasteland

As I saw the prize I'd sought, light glinting off the metal from a brave ray of sunlight that peaked through the forest canopy, I smiled in triumph. Everyone I knew had told me that this was the act of a deathseaker. The fact I'd passed Martial Training as a child with top marks didn't seem to matter, because all they say was a Sheikah researcher about to enter one of the most dangerous areas in Hyrule, chasing a fairy tale.

But there I was, after a week of trekking through the ancient, overgrown collection of trees, whose original name was lost to history, now just known as The Woods, and I was still alive. Sure, I'd broken my arm fighting a Wolfos a few days earlier, but I'd packed a Red Potion. I still had the arm in a cast at that point, but it was mending more and more every day, and nothing else in the forest that far had been anything I hadn't been able to dispatch it, even with one arm. I couldn't even feel the usual pain from it, as I looked down from my hilltop vantage point towards the ruins of some sort of stone building, the prize I'd been seeking in plain view.

I would have skipped down the hill to my destination, if the ground hadn't been littered with enough forest detritus to make for an excellent tripping hazard. I'd spent the last six years in academia defending my thesis, both from those who thought the old legends held no truth at all and from those who had radically different interpretations of them. I almost couldn't take my eyes of it, the evidence I'd been seeking: a sword, still as beautiful and spotless as the day it had been forged, embedded into a stone pedestal. No one had been here to tend to it, to keep it looking clean and polished, as not a single sapient soul had lived in this part of the world in hundreds of years. And yet, it still gleamed.

For a moment, I considered examining the remains of the building more closely as I truly entered the ruins, but I brushed that thought aside as I approached the sword. I was going to be there for quite a while, those details could wait for later. Better to start with the main course.

Any miniscule doubts that my heart still harbored were banished as I was able to see the weapon in more detail. The blue handle, the linework on the blade itself, the gem embedded in the grip. They fit every description that remained of the Blade of Evil's Bane that still remained, every tattered tapestry and reconstructed stained glass window. There was no room for misidentification: this was the **Master Sword**.

Unable to help myself, I put on some rubber gloves, so as not to contaminate the artifact, then tried lifting it from the pedestal with all the strength I had. It was like trying to move a boulder, except even that might have budged a millimeter. The sword refused to move for me. A tiny, childish dream that perhaps I was the newest incarnation of the Hero died in my heart, and I admonished myself for even keeping it alive. After all, the Hero had never been a Sheikah, let alone a woman.

That selfish whim done, I set about work. First, I cleared an area of underbrush just outside the ruins and built my tent, happy to finally get all of my equipment off my back for more than the brief stops I'd been taking to sleep. Moving back towards the sword, I set up my generator, a newer model that converted magic into electricity rather than using internal combustion or anything like that. I'd had it fully charged to start with, but I knew I should have been capable of keeping it powered off my personal magic for at least a few more days than the week it should have already been good for. Once it was going, I plugged in my laptop and got the start-up going, then started setting up all my other tools.

A few photos of the sword weren't going to be enough to convince anyone in academia, not really. I was going to need to take every measurement possible, over a long period of time, to gather enough rock-solid data to prove my point. Once my computer was online, I attached some magitech sensors to the surface of the sword's metal, a basic way to gauge the levels and types of magic in the enchanted blade. I couldn't help grinning at the results the program was showing me: layers upon layers of magic, so complex that analysis based on prior data was impossible. I'm not exactly an expert on that type of anthropological research, but I knew a few Gerudo back home who I could show the readings to. "Fascinating. It has been 446 years since my last visitor."

The voice came from behind me, as I was looking at the sword, feminine and otherwordly in its sing-song beauty. I froze for a moment, then turned around, only to see no one. Knowing that wasn't proof at all of a lack of something's existence, I remained wary. "Where are you?" I asked, hoping my voice sounded more serious and confident than I had felt.

"...you are able to hear me?" It was only then that I realized the sound was coming from my laptop speakers, and to my surprise a new window had opened up, an audio media player. "This is unexpected. Communication has not been possible for eons. I was 97% certain that my voice would be unheard for the rest of time."

I had no clue on what any of it meant, in that moment. All I knew was that, somehow, some weird voice, which was _responding to what I was saying_, was playing from my computer in a way that violated my, franky limited, understanding of how _anything_ worked. Not able to make heads or tails of what the voice had been saying in the moment, and my heart beating so hard and fast it felt like a Goron frat party was going on in my chest, all I could think to do was stammer out, "W-who are you?"

There was a short pause, as if the voice was considering how to answer. "I am Fi, the sword spirit chosen by the Goddess Hylia, and the inhabitor of the blade you call the Master Sword." My eyes suddenly went to the artifact, which I only then realized was giving off the slightest glow of lumination from the metal. "May I ascertain your identity in return?"

My mind was racing. Some legends, specifically those that seemed to be the oldest, referred to a guardian spirit associated with the Master Sword, but even I hadn't been sure how much truth was to be found in that detail. "I'm Shel'ra, though most people just call me Shel. I'm an anthropologist at the Hylian Academy of the Sciences, and I specialize in studying the mythical 'Hero' figure who appears in so many legends and historical incidents." I ran a hair through my short, snow-white hair, unable to really grasp what was going on.

"Then our meeting is fortuitous," Fi responded. "By my estimation, I have been wielded by 83% of the Hero's reincarnations, though only one counts all incarnations across the shattered timeline. Would you like me to tell you about the various Masters I have served?" The question seemed to come out casually, as if they were asking me what type of tea I'd like with my lunch.

But it was at that moment that the reality of what was going on hit me in the face. I was staring at, talking to, a primary source for nearly all of my subject matter. There was a chance that she's be biased, or lie outright, but I could always check it against what scattered other sources we had, and it was better than nothing. My mouth was dry as I was about to ask my first question, only to realize something. "Wait, I need to record this." It took some time, and explaining to Fi, but I set up two mic's I'd brought for recording ambient noise, just in case, so that they'd catch my voice and the computer's speakers clearly, then started an audio recording. "Now, uh, what did you mean by 'reincarnation'?"

Some who still held to belief in the Goddess Hylia, as opposed to worshipping the Golden Goddesses or the Four Giants or whatever else was out there to pray to, believed that people were reborn, both the high and mighty and the lowborn as well. It had something to do with the sharing of names, passed down through families, but I had never put much thought into it before that moment. "The process of living beings' existential totality being used to bring new life into the world, leading to a similar, though not identical, incarnation of that person is known as 'reincarnation'. Not all living creatures reincarnate, but my Master is one that does."

That completely upending my understanding of, well, a lot of life, but I pushed past that as best I could, focusing on what was really relevant. "So, it's true then? There really was a Hero? And he was...reborn? Reincarnated? Whenever he was needed, he would be born again?" My stance had always been that the Hero was real, though I wasn't 100% sure on how. I, and others who agreed, debated between various individuals who took up the task during their times, or whether it was one hero who came and went whenever Hyrule needed him. It seemed the answer was a little bit of both.

Fi considered my question before answering it. "Not all Heroes to wield my sword were the same person. There have been times when otherwise unremarkable people have become Heroes. But for the most part, yes. My original Master has been born in new lives, new situations, whenever evil was gathering that needed to be fought." There was a short pause, and then she added. "As someone who has met many different incarnations of my Master, I have spent the many eons considering him, among other things. While every incarnation is generally similar to the others, they are also each unique. Different characteristics, personality traits, become emphasized, while others don't present as much. Would you like to hear more about this? About the various versions Master I've served?"

It was like being offered up a thesis on a plate, how could I say no? "Yes, please," I told them, and quickly grabbed a notebook and pen so I could take notes. The recording would be good on its own, but I wanted to mentally process this as best I could, while I was listening to it. In a way, I was looking at this like the greatest lecture period in university history.

"In my experience, the quality most Hylians readily attribute to my Master is his resolve, the ability he has to face any odds and still continue, even when it seems helpless. The incarnation who lived that quality the most was one who lived in one of the worst times in Hyrule history. The country had been abandoned for an area to the north, while Ganon and legions of monsters inhabited the wasteland that had once been a prosperous nation." There was the first confirmation of Ganon, another mythical figure whose real identity was obscured by the mists of time.

But I didn't interrupt them to ask about that, and let them continue. "After the Zelda of that time had returned to her ancestral homeland to try and dispatch the King of Evil, only to be captured by him, my Master came to save her. He had nothing but a wooden sword at first, given to him by one of the hermits who still braved the wilds. He fought through legions of foes by himself, and after he used my sword to defeat Ganon, he undertook the task of waking an enchanted princess by gathering the Triforce. He did all of it, by himself, without complaint or companionship."

While pieces of that came as new information, they largely fit some of what I already knew. They had been seen as two separate legends, each with a different hero, and neither of them had a special moniker or signifier, like some other heroes did. But the spirit had mentioned the Triforce, and Zelda's. The ancient gift from the gods was largely seen as a myth, and while the many Princesses of the royal family, when we'd had one, with the name Zelda were all recorded, the more mythical aspects of them were still unknown. But all my notetaking in that direction was interrupted when, for the first time, Fi sounded _sad_. "But in that life, my Master had known little kindness, or compassion. Despite his heroic deeds, he did not share the warm, caring heart I'd seen in so many other lives.

"He had no mercy for the life he took in his quest, and even took to slaughtering wildlife for swordfighting practice. I would never claim any of my Master's incarnations were evil, Sher, but when that Master wielded my blade...for all his courage, I was unsure in all the time he held the sword, who he would turn it on next." I was eager to hear more, but Fi was clearly not in the mood to continue that subject. "The sun is beginning to set, and night will soon fall. You should take care, these woods are not safe."

I didn't want to admit it, but they made a good point. After telling them goodnight, I put away my equipment, just in case it rained that night, and set up a warding spell around my little campsite. Sadly, all protective or warding magic needs an exception, something that can unlock the barrier or bypass it, so I made a password to get in or out successfully, hoping most dangerous things in the area couldn't speak Sheikah. Feeling more secure and safe, not to mention satisfied, than I had so far in the expedition, I got into my sleeping bag, being careful not to jostle my injured arm, and slowly drifted off to sleep.


	2. The Hero of Time

When my eyes first fluttered open, on my second day camped out with the focus of my studies, which I'd just discovered was inhabited by a sword spirit named Fi, I fully expected to see a horde of monsters outside my barrier. But upon exiting my tent, I was still alone. After gathering up some firewood, I made myself a simple breakfast and went back over to the Master Sword. Carefully, I set sensors on the blade of the sword again after powering up my laptop, and sure enough the media file player opened on its own once again. "Good morning, Fi," I said with a smile.

"This morning is much like every morning, Shel. The only difference is your presence, which is pleasant." Unsure how to take that, I got out some more of my tools and started taking other measurements of the sword, starting with its exact dimensions. It was a little hard with one arm injured, but if I was remembering my magical healing knowledge correctly, I knew I only had one more day before I could finally take off the cast and go back to being a regular two-handed person. "May I inquire into the cause your injury?"

Without turning away from my work, I started to explain. "It was on my third day in the forest. I hadn't encountered many monsters or anything at that point, which is why I hadn't been expecting a Wolfos to ambush me. After it ambushed me and bit my arm hard enough to crush the bone, I was able to take it out with a quick stab to the eye." It wasn't my first time being injured during research. After all, I was a field anthropologist, and it was well known that most of Hyrule's oldest ruins were breeding grounds of the scariest types of monsters.

Fi didn't respond immediately, leaving me time to finish getting the exterior dimensions, at least up to the point where the sword entered the pedestal. Of course, that just meant I needed to take measurements of the pedestal, and unlike the sword, I could hopefully take samples of the exact type of stone used in the construction. "What type of weapon do you specialize in?"

The question made me laugh. Here was a weapon, or at least some kind of magical being that lived inside of one, asking me about my own. Was it just casual interest, or did the question have more significance to a sword spirit? I paused my pedestal analysis to reach into a hidden pocket of the arm of my jacket and pull out a small, fine blade. "It's a bit of a stereotype, but what can I say? I'm Sheikah, I've got daggers. I've always wanted to try a sword, though." I didn't say it was out of my childhood dream that I'd be the next Hero, because considering who I was talking to, that would be pretty embarrassing.

For the second time since meeting the sword spirit, a flash of emotion appeared in Fi's voice, this time the touch of mirth. "I am quite fond of swords myself, though I may be biased in that opinion." It made me laugh, and from there Fi and I fell into a companionable silence as I continued my work. I spent a good chunk of that day just taking measurements and photos. Once I'd finished with the sword and pedestal I'd gone to work on the ruins of the building, breaking the task up into focusing on each individual piece of masonry still left intact.

My the time i was reaching the middle of the afternoon, I was sweaty, tired, and ready for lunch. Though by then, it might as well have been dinner. Once I'd properly fed myself, I sat near the sword again. "So, Fi, are you okay with telling me about another one of your Master's incarnations?" Thinking about it, I remembered something they'd said from the day before that I had found interesting. "You mentioned that a lot of the heroes who have used you had a big heart, right? That's one of those things that kind of gets left out of the legends. I'd love to hear more about it."

"There is one," Fi began, their singsong voice once again dispassionate without feeling necessarily rude or stern. "One incarnation who exemplified that care and love for others that...it may not be my favorite aspect of my Master's soul, but it is one I do cherish. That man has been known in the time since as the Hero of Time." That definitely caught my attention, and my note-taking while listening became even more intense. "Tell me, what do you know, in this time, about the Hero of Time?"

Asking me about any of Hyrule's legendary heroes isn't safe for the ear drums in the best of circumstances, but that particular one? I hoped Fi was ready. "The Hero of Time is, by far, the hero we have the most information on! He's also the most popular in our culture, and those who don't pay too much attention to mythology, he's the face of all the heroes, the one who stands out the most." I chided myself silently, that hadn't been what they'd been asking about, then focused on actual things we knew. "One of the mythical Kokiri children, over his journey to defeat the evil Ganondorf the Gerudo King, who was ruling Hyrule in his time, the Hero of Time made allies, fought impossible odds, and even gained the power of time travel, which is where his title comes from. But in the end, his tragedy was that, despite everything, he didn't win. Ganondorf became Ganon and ruled Hyrule until the Sealing War banished him into the Dark World."

Fi listened patiently to my rambling, and waited for me to finish before replying. "That is very interesting. Much of what you have said is incorrect. The Hero of Time was not a Kokiri, but a Hylian child raised by the Deku Tree's eternal children. The tale you've told entirely leaves out Navi, his faithful fairy companion, and Ganondorf only took over Hyrule after Link revealed the Triforce by pulling my sword from the Temple of Time." I was scribbling so fast at hearing that I was afraid I'd snap my pen in half. I was going to have a _lot_ of follow-up questions. "But that was not the purpose of our discussing the Hero of Time.

"As I implied before, the Hero of Time was the most caring incarnation to wield my sword. Over the course of his adventure, he befriended so many, from royalty to ranch hands. He collected the scattered cuccos of an absent minded girl, helped on old man with his research, rescued foolish carpenters from a mess of their own making." A brief glint of nostalgia shown through their words as they continued telling me about the heroes exploits. "He did it all with a smile on his face, an open heart, and without asking anything in return. He loved others, and they loved him."

I have no clue if it's what Fi was implying, but it made me think of the question of romance. Is that the kind of love they meant? While genuine historical and mythological scholarship wasn't incredibly interested in that question, pop culture definitely was. The oldest versions of the legends never mentioned any romantic relationships between the heroes and anyone else, but that hasn't stopped retellins over the years from adding some. Usually between the Hero and his Zelda, Even the storybook my mom read to me as a kid included something about the Hero of Time and a Zora princess, which as an adult looking back was...kind of weird? Getting my mind back on track, I remembered what Fi had said about the other Hero, about his casual cruelty. "Was there anything else that made the Hero of Time unique, aside from his kindness?"

Hoping Fi wouldn't notice, I crossed my fingers, wishing dearly that I wasn't about to learn that another of the subjects I'd been researching my entire scholarly career was actually far less heroic than expected. But the truth was a lot...weirder than that. "He wasn't funny," was all Fi said at first. But after my stunned silence, it became clear they had to clarify. "I suppose it isn't something that subsequent generations preserved, but 92% of my Master's incarnations believed themselves to be quite humorous. This was in spite of all evidence to the contrary."

At that point, I really couldn't help myself, I just burst out laughing. Fi didn't make any similar sounds, but as weird as it sounds, I felt some kind of happy aura coming off of the sword. "You're telling me," I said, once I was able to properly breathe again, "That most of the Heroes, the ones who saved all of Hyrule, were comedians?"

"I would not phase it as such," Fi corrected. "Rather, they enjoyed making comments over the course of their adventures that some would find laughter in, and that the Heroes themselves seemed to think were quite clever. The only exception was the Hero of Time, who did not attempt a single joke in my time with him. It was the most peaceful journey I have ever had." That just set me off laughing again, but Fi burst my bubble there a little. "Shel, night is falling once again. Sleep is important for proper health."

Unable to help myself, I told them, "Thanks for that, _mom_," before taking off the sensors before they could make a comeback, putting away all my stuff for the night, and heading back to the tent to sleep. I never, in a million years, had expected this expedition to be so mind-blowingly fruitful. And even after everything else I learned, the fact that most of the heroes had a robust sense of humor was the thing I was happiest to have learned.


	3. The Hero of Legend

It's odd, how quickly someone can get used to something. Even though it was only my second morning waking up in my little campsite, things progressed almost rotely: breakfast, research, lunch, talking with Fi. But those were the broad strokes. Ganon was in the details, as they say. After I'd brewed myself a satisfactory mug of coffee, a very limited and time-intensive resource I felt every right to treat myself with, I finally decided the time had come and carved my previously injured arm free of its restraint. It was a bit stiff, and sore, but otherwise usable.

It was only then that I realized I'd forgotten to set up my computer, so Fi could talk, so I quickly did that while sipping the still hot bean juice to properly fill my nervous system with the effects of caffeine I so desired. Once we'd greeted each other, I set to my work for the day. There were still a few things I needed measurements for, so I got those quickly, then set about my next big task: samples. In tiny plastic containers, I set about carefully chipping off pieces of stone, bigs of algae, local plant life, dirt, everything I thought might become relevant.

It was as I, extremely delicately, chipped off some of the marble pedestal holding the Master Sword, that Fi actually had something of substance to say. Or rather, ask. "What is it you are drinking today?" My tiny chisel was successfully able to break away a miniscule piece of enchanted stone, which I carefully put in my container, thinking of how to explain my drink to the sword spirit. "Your arm seems properly healed, but is this perhaps another potion?"

That was something to think about. "In a way?" I started, pondering the idea. "Well, it isn't magical, as far as we know. Though it sure seems like it sometimes." I tiled my cup so she could see inside it a little better. "It's called 'coffee', and it's made from a special bean, imported from Crescent Island, in Labrynna. It has this stimulant in it, called caffeine. It improves concentration, alertness, and helps keep us awake."

The sword spirit seemed to think that over before replying. "Fascinating." Apparently, that was all that needed to be said, so I went back to my work for a few hours, until, just as I'd finished filling a sample container with runoff water from a nearby stream, they asked me something else. "What is the purpose of your task today? I have been attempting to analyze it, but I lack sufficient context."

This was actually the last thing I was sampling that day, and I was getting hungry enough to make myself some onigiri, so I set my rice up to steam, then sat by the Master Sword and my computer to talk to Fi. "Well, as an anthropologist, when I'm studying an area like this, taking samples is important. I can take them all back to the fancy labs back home, and we can use it to learn more things about the area. Like, for example, your pedestal." I rested one hand on the cold stone for emphasis. "Based on radiometric dating, we can learn approximately how old the stone is, and the same can be said for the rest of the masonry I sampled. Plus, with your pedestal, we might even be able to try and analyze the enchantments at work."

"Had I been made a mortal, I believe I would have enjoyed being an 'anthropologist'. The work seems fruitful." Fi's comment made me chuckle as I moved over to finish putting together my lunch, then got ready to spend the rest of the day talking with the sword spirit. "What is humorous about what I have said?" they asked me.

"Well," I began, taking a bit of my rice ball, "You're probably the first person to hear me talk about the boring part of my job, the stuff like taking samples, and actually find it interesting. When I tell my Pop about it, he usually just rolls his eyes and asks if I'm seeing anyone yet." Fi didn't have an immediate reply to that, so I went back to my lunch, and after finishing my first onigiri, I asked, "So, what Hero would you like to talk about today?"

It was weird. Fi was a disembodied voice, and even that much only existed because I connected the Master Sword, their home so to speak, to my computer. Even thinking about it now, the question of where the sword ended and Fi began was an open one. Did they think of the sword as a place they lived, as their body? Or was their relationship more complex, something that didn't quite mesh with mortal language? Anyway, that question was relevant at the time, because whenever Fi paused between one of my questions and their own answer, I swore I could see the Sword's appearance change. Something about it's 'aura', perhaps? But it felt like I could see them thinking about it.

Finally, they gave me a response. "Since the topic of humor has come up once more, my first Master has been on my mind. The hero who wielded my sword before it was even the Master Sword, who fought not for a princess, but for his friend. The first Link in the chain of reincarnation. Do you know anything regarding this particular Hero, in this time?"

Once again, Fi had made the dangerous mistake of prodding my personal obsession. "It...sounds like you're referring to the Hero of Legend?" I started, feeling off-footed. My venture was a hesitant one, if only because actual chronology was a difficult subject when tackling the various Heroes. "It's a dumb title, but it's used to refer to several legends that a lot of people, me included, _think_ refer to the oldest known Hero. We think he might have been associated with the sky? And Hylia? Honestly, there are more holes in what we know about him than with any other Hero."

"I am sorry to hear that," was Fi's immediate reply, and I could actually hear something resembling grief in their tone. "As I said, he was my first Master, and the only one to whom I appeared in visual form. I have enjoyed serving all of my many Masters, but perhaps because of the fact we were able to communicate directly, he is the one who stands out the most. Our time together was...personal."

That was pretty amazing to hear. So, Fi used to actually be able to show up, as a person somehow? But only to this first Hero? That was new information, but as I took notes on it, which was much easier now that I was able to use both hands, I had more and more questions. Though I did want to be careful. From their tone, it was clear that Fi had a closer bond with this particular incarnation than most others. "You said the topic of humor made you think about him, right? Why? Can you tell me more about him?"

The Master Sword actually felt like it was glowing with some positive aura, as unscientific as that sounds, at my question. "Master started off only trying to help his friend, the first Zelda, who had fallen from their home in Skyloft, a floating island in the sky." I underlined my notes for that. Reports of floating sky islands popped up all the time, both in the various legends, but also as recently as a few hundred years ago. "In time, the scope of his journey grew, until he was saving the world from Demise. It was that monster's curse that caused my Master and Zelda to be reincarnated, time and time again." Everything Fi had just told me was enough to practically triple what we knew about the Hero of Legend. Then, after a pause, Fi added, "He was also, by a wide margin, the Master who made the most jokes. By my analysis, in my time with him, he made 42.4% more attempts at humor per hour than any other Master."

There was that weird topic of humor cropping up again. Not that I was one to complain, I enjoyed humanizing this mythical figures, and I like comedy. "So, what kind of jokes did he tell? Puns? Slapstick?"

"Sarcasm." Fi said the word like it was something utterly vile. "Even I was not safe from his dry ridicule. It went hand in hand with his utter lack of humility." If Fi had been able to sight, I was pretty sure they would have, but instead a short silence did the same job. "Many of my Master's incarnations are humble, rarely one to boast. But perhaps too much time around that red-haired ruffian affected him adversely, because my first Master was unable to stop himself from reminding others of the feats he'd accomplished. It was never in malice, he merely had a high opinion of himself. Which, considering much of what he did, was understandable. Very few of my Master's collected the entire Triforce, as he did."

That made my eyes bug out. If legends of the Goddess's gift was accurate, then that relic held, well, power beyond imagination. "What did he wish for?" I whispered, unable to stop myself from wondering what I would do if I got a hand on the fabled triangles.

Fi made a pleased sound, one that I had to wonder was their equivalent of a laugh. "For the destruction of Demise. It was the only way he could see Zelda again." I had no clue if there were actual romantic undertones to what they were saying, or if I was just imagining it. What I wasn't imagining, I was sure, was how happy they were to tell me it. But that affability vanished when a strange, warbling sound came from the woods to my left. I froze, and Fi quickly told me, "You are not safe. Put your equipment away, now, and get to safety." They didn't have to tell me twice, and my training came in handy. Being able to hide what you were doing quickly was a skill often fostered by the Sheikah, and that showed when in under a minute I and all my belongings were back inside my circle, just as dusk began to fall. Whatever made that sound, I could still hear it, as I settled in to sleep for the night. I did my best to ignore thinking about what kind of creature could startle Fi that much.


	4. The Hero of Two Worlds

I don't know if you've ever had to try and sleep with the knowledge that, magic circle of protection or no, there was some kind of scary monster not far away from you. I have, and let me tell you, I did not get a lot of sleep that night. My mind raced with what could possibly have been out there. None of the options were particularly good, and in my most terrified moments, I even wondered if it was Ganon himself in the forest. Sure, it sounded crazy, but so did having friendly chats about the various Heroes from across the ages with a sword spirit who knew them all.

When the sun had risen, and I realized there was no way I was getting any more sleep, I carefully exited my tent. No matter how much I looked around at the thick outcropping of trees, I couldn't see hide nor hair of whatever had made that awful ruckuss that day before. Still, that was no reason to be careless. Using every secret of stealth I'd learned in basic training, I exited the circle and set up the computer with the Master Sword, but made sure to lower the volume. "Fi, you there?" I asked.

"Yes," was their immediate reply. "You do not appear to have received a full night of sleep. Would it be prudent to make yourself some of the 'coffee' you told me about yesterday? From available data, it should increase your wakefulness by 54%." I tried not to interpret that as Fi telling my I looked like crap, so I set up my campfire coffee set-up before moving back by the Master Sword while I waited.

My eyes were darting everywhere still, and I began with, "So…" trying to seem as casual and not-scared as I could. Don't ask me why I wanted to avoid seeming scared to the immortal being with the pretty voice, because I don't have an answer for you. "About that monster, from the last night. What is it? And is it still around?" If I'm being honest, I can't deny that a tinge of my fear may have been made evident in my voice at that point.

"I cannot be completely sure," Fi started, sounding as though they hadn't really noticed my fear. "But I am 97% certain that, for the last twenty years, the area around this grove of trees have become the lair of a Gohma Queen." That news stunned me so much I couldn't say anything before Fi continued by saying, "As for its current whereabouts, I cannot be certain. It has never centered this clearing, likely due to the sacred enchantments laid in the pedestal, but there has never been a Sheikah here for her to eat, so I cannot be sure she won't enter the grove if she senses your presence."

This was just great news all around, I realized sarcastically. While a Gohma Queen was nowhere near as bad as some of the things I'd considered, they weren't exactly things I wanted to see either. Solid information on them was scarce, as they were so dangerous and so rare that no zoologist had ever managed to capture one for captivity, and the eggs recovered from nests never matured past a larve stage, for reasons no one had been able to discover. Still, from what Fi said, staying in the grove and being quiet would be best, and I was pretty happy with that...for now. But some of what I had to do next would require me to stray afar a bit, something at the time I resolved to figure out when the time came.

As a first step, I dug through my packs and dug out a wireless headset and connected it to the computer. "This way," I told Fi as I started preparing my coffee properly once the water was boiled, "We can talk without alerting the Queen, and it has a range large enough for me to do work while talking to you." That problem taken care of, I had a light breakfast with my coffee, and then it was time for my task of the day.

I'd taken measurements, and I'd taken samples, so that meant the time had come for more in-depth investigation. That sounded cool, but in practice it just meant careful removing vegetation and soil from the site wherever it wouldn't disturb the integrity of the ruins, in hopes of uncovering more details. It would be a slow, long process, and I'd need to talk to Fi while doing it because I doubted I'd be able to stay interested otherwise. Once I communicated that to Fi, as I began on the edge of the ruins facing my campsite, they started the conversation. "Have you ever been romantically involved with another person?"

The question came out, like most of Fi's questions, with nothing to it other than was actually being asked. But while it may have been a straight forward, uncomplicated question to Fi, for me it was shocking and surprising enough that I actually choked a little on the breath I'd just taken. Suddenly blushing, I tried laughing it off a little. "Well, uh, yeah? Here and there?" Fi didn't respond to that, so I decided I might as well just plow forward. "Well, while I was being trained, I kind of hit it off with a Sheikah girl a year older than me, but then drama messed that up, and I haven't heard from her since." I didn't tell Fi that her name had been Pusha, she'd smelled like strawberries even after working out all day, and that thinking about her made my heart hurt.

Brushing those thoughts aside, I continued, "Well, when I was studying in university, I dated a Gerudo for a few years. She was nice, but a bit intense." Of course, part of her intensity had been while I'd stayed with Rae for so long. Things with her had never been boring. Plus, having a buff girlfriend two feet taller than me? It was a bit of an ego boost at the time. "Once we broke up, there were a few flings here and there, but nothing serious. Since I got my job, I haven't really had the time or inclination to give it another try." Having just given Fi a brief overview of my romantic history, I tentatively asked them, "So, why'd you ask?"

"I was merely wishing to inquire further regarding your history. From my experience observing mortals, romantic relationships are a large part of their short lives. I apologize if the question was not one you were wanting to answer." Fi's answer made me think more about how weird romance must be to them. They're this agender, incorporeal being who's existed longer than Hyrule has, so of course they notice the ritualistic coupling people do over time. Did she think it was weird that I liked girls? Or was that a common thing back in the day? Rather than digging further into that, Fi suddenly changed the subject. "What do you know of the Sealing War?"

While carefully using a trowel to dig out a fern that was a bit too close to the masonry of the ruins for my taste, a raised by off hand enough that Fi should have been able to see it and wiggled it in what I'd hoped was a universal sign of 'eh, so-so'. "Well, remember that I'm someone who liked to study the Heroes, so a Heroless conflict was a bit boring for me. From what I can remember from my freshman history class, it began about a hundred years after Ganon had killed the Hero of Time. His oppression over Hyrule grew worse, and one by one he drove out the other races, like the Gerudo and the Gorons. Finally, the Hylians and Sheikah had had enough, and worked tirelessly to fight against his army. Eventually, they drove him into the Dark World, and seven sages sealed him inside."

It was one of those things full of dates to memorize, big battles, key political figures. Maybe I was just a bad student for history, but it was all dull as all get-out. That's part of why I specialized in studying the Heroes, since so much of it _wasn't_ known, it was a mystery for us to uncover. Fi made a sound of agreement. "I was not present for the conflict, so I believe that to have been fairly accurate. However, Ganon was not completely sealed. There were still rips in the dimensional fabric, where one could pass between Hyrule and Ganon's Dark World. None were large enough for Ganon to pass through, and even if one had been, he was enchanted, unable to escape the Dark World thanks to the Sages efforts.

"But even in his monstrous form, Ganon was cunning. He used agents to spread word through to Hyrule, rekindling stories of the Triforce, and making sure everyone knew it was in the Dark World, while leaving out the fact that it was in the possession of Ganon." This was starting to ring a bell, and I started to realize where they were going with this. "Eventually, Ganon was able to place Agahnim, a dark sorcerer, close to the King of Hyrule. A coup was started, and Ganon almost executed his escape back to the world he'd been banished from. However, he was stopped by-"

"The Hero of Two Worlds!" I shouted, unable to help myself. Still, Fi didn't seem to upset by the interruption, and let me continue with what I knew. "He's actually probably the second-most well known Hero. He helped make sure Ganon stayed sealed by traveling between Hyrule and the Dark World, but he's also got other myths associated with him as well. Stories about the Wind Fish, or a Hylian hero appearing in Labyrnna and Holodrum, are usually attributed by scholars to the Hero of Two Worlds." Of course, all of that was pretty much all they knew about him. Despite being more recent by far than the Hero of Time, for example, many of the records were lost in political upheaval, and what details did exist were so colored by propaganda and alteration that the whole period felt muddy to study. "What can you tell me about him?"

I was about halfway through the perimeter of the ruins at that point, still looking over my shoulder and keeping an ear open from the headset to make sure I didn't become Gohma chow. I'd also been pretty lucky in my task, with much of the vegetation clinging so lightly to the stones that removing it hadn't been an issue at all. "He was descended from a family of knights, ones who served the Royal Family," Fi began. "He was not, as he thought at the time, a descendant of the Hero of Time, as in that timeline he did not have any children before his death." That hadn't been the first time Fi had mentioned something about timelines, but I didn't interrupt her to ask for more details. "His parents died when he was a baby, and he was raised by his kindly uncle. I attribute that influence for his most unique feature. As I said yesterday, many of my Master's incarnations have been humble, but this one in particular was much moreso. He hated people calling him a hero, and part of why he left Hyrule in the aftermath of his victory was to escape the fame that had accumulated for him."

Carefully dislodging what I had just realized was the seed of a Deku Baba, still young enough that it hadn't become dangerous, I commented on what Fi had just said, "That might be why we don't have as much information about him," I speculated. "If he just saved the day then left, it would have been pretty easy for other people to manipulate public perception of him without him being able to stop them." As a Sheikah, rudimentary knowledge of PR was basically required, especially after how many times throughout their history people had tried to have my people exterminated.

I guess Fi didn't have anything to say about that, because they just continued where they'd left off. "All that incarnation of my master wanted was for people to be safe, and to live a life with people he cared about. When, after slaying Ganon, he touched the Triforce, he never even considered using it for personal gain. Instead, he brought back all who had been killed through Agahnim and Ganon's machinations, including his uncle." Then, seemingly done with that train of thought, Fi idly added, "He also was quite stoic. For many of my master's incarnations, someone will refer to them as 'adorable' or 'silly' several times a week. But whether it was a conscious choice, or merely how he naturally presented himself, that incarnation was too closed off for people to think that of him. Instead, he just seemed to be a modest, serious, kind boy."

Finishing up my job for the day by reaching where I'd started, I was exhausted. My arms and back aching, I started making myself dinner, and considered something. The more Fi told me about their masters, the more they stopped becoming mythical beings. When Fi shared their experiences with me, it meant more and more I thought of the Heroes as just...people. Or one person. It was complicated. But either way, the Hero of Two Worlds was a kid. What was it like for him, going through all that hardship, all that strife? After putting everything back in order before bed, the question lingered in my head, and that night I dreamed of a young man with hair dyed a bright pink, wearing green, sword in hand, staring at a golden pyramid, his heart full of terror at the place he'd suddenly woken up to.


	5. The Hero of Light

That was the first night in my life, but far from the last, where I dreamed of the lives of the Heroes. Not like I was one of them, or some new adventure my subconscious made up on the fly for me to experience, but actually observing the adventure of a real Hero. I've checked with Fi on occasion, and my dreams line up perfectly with what actually happened. We're still trying to figure out what that's about, and I've started to think I might know, but whether I'm right or now is something that will have to stay in the Shadows for now.

Anyway, my fourth morning with Fi went pretty much as usual at that point, though my breakfast was a little hardier than normal, to help with what I needed to do that day. The new headset system was nice, and not just because I liked having Fi's voice in my ear. Once I'd cleaned my plate, washed it, and was ready to head out for the day, I explained Fi what I was up to. "So, one important thing in Anthropology is making sure you actually found anything, especially in forests like this where so much is obscured. I need to find and flag secondary sites, areas either part of the same ruins as the primary site, or tangentially related buildings and the like. That means I'm going to be trouncing through the forest today."

There was a short pause, so I continued making sure I was bringing exactly the right amount of gear: small snacks, tools for clearing brush, bright fluorescent flag markers that were enchanted to stay in the ground once placed, and knives. Like, seriously, a ridiculous amount of knives. It's a stereotype for Sheikah, I know, but there's a reason for that: you never want to need and a knife and realize you had just thrown your last one. It sounds silly, but I've actually experienced the fear of reaching for one and realizing there's none to grab. It's terrifying, and awfully disempowering. I was afraid Fi would caution me against it, since there was a Gohma Queen nearby. Instead, all they asked was, "How may I assist you in this task?"

Happy to hear they trusted me to stay safe and not get murdered, I explained what I had in store. "What with the giant bug around, I want to stay within one hundred yards of my primary site, namely your ruins, at all times. Luckily, you're connected to my laptop, and with my headset, you can monitor how far away I am using our wireless connection. So, when I'm getting close to 95 yards from you, tell me, and I'll know I need to stay closer. Plus, if I get lost, you can guide me home." I'd meant to say 'here', but if Fi thought anything of my slip of the tongue, they didn't say anything about it.

Once I was ready to go and Fi understood what I needed from them, I headed out. For the first half hour of so, my mind was focused on scanning the underbrush for signs of habitation, but I was also starting to get bored. Luckily, it was right around then that Fi asked me something. "You must have people at your place of employment you know well. Could you tell me who they are, and what they are like?"

I might have been a little slow on the uptake, but it was around here when I started to realize that, after centuries in a forest, Fi really just wanted to know more about the outside world, and that was why they asked me about my day to day life so much. Of course, I owed Fi a lot, and I liked them, so I was happy to answer those questions. "Well, let's see...there's my boss, Mr. Dragmire. He's one of those rare male Gerudo. If he'd been born, like, even just a hundred years ago, he probably would have been a King. But now the monarchy's a thing of the past, so no crown for him. I've always wondered if that was why he's such a strict boss, like he feels he's owed something to make up for the lost throne. Still, he's also pretty generous, and gives compliments when they're earned. He's also weirdly obsessed with making ships in bottles." I'm not sure if there is a proper amount of enthusiasm one can have for such a hobby, but my boss's love goes **way** beyond it.

Thinking of who else there was, I brought up, "There's also Mags. She's our department's tech person, and she seems nice." I honestly didn't have much else to say about the mousey girl. She kept to herself, and when I had interacted with her, she'd seemed like a bit of a downer. "My office is right next to the one this Goron, Gorko. He's pretty nice, but maybe a little overexcitable. Like, I get being really interested in what can be found in sediment deposits, and what it can tell us about the past, but he's talked my ear off about mica spreads more than once, and that's too many times." Then, the moment I thought of his name, I shuddered. "Plus there's..._Terrance_." I didn't want to say any more than that to Fi, but Terrance is the creepiest man I've ever met. It was impossible for anyone to really pin down exactly what about the 35-year old Hylian rubbed them all the wrong way, but he just had this...aura.

In my ear, Fi made a pleased sound that was almost like laughter. "Recurrence between timelines?" they asked, almost so quiet I couldn't hear her. Still, I did, and this had been somewhere around the fourth time they had mentioned that word. It had been hard not to ask about it thus far, but just as Fi told me, "You're nearing 95 yards from me," and I turned to walk a bit in a circle to the right before heading back towards the primary site, I had to ask them what I'd been wondering.

"Hey, Fi, what do you mean by 'timelines'? Every once and a while you say something about them, and it's getting me really curious." I didn't spend nearly as much time on it these days, compared to when I was a teenager or a college student, but I did have a love of science fiction. Just hearing the word 'timeline' brought my mind to pulp novels I'd read and television series I'd binged.

While I waited for Fi to respond, I caught sight of my first secondary site. I cleared the underbrush away with my tools, but it turned out to just be a roughly head-sized piece of masonry, probably from the same temple as Fi's sword. Still, I planted a flag and checked the surroundings a little to make sure I found everything there was to see, then moved on. "As we discussed regarding the Hero of Time, time travel is not only possible, but has been done by several different Heroes over time. How it interacts exactly with the continuity of history depends on the method being used, but on the whole, the timeline rights itself naturally.

"However, as his title implies, the Hero of Time interacted far more with moving through time, and making changes as he went, than any other individual I am aware of. This left time itself around him...fragile. This was made worse when, after defeating Ganon and sealing him in the Sacred Realm, he used the Ocarina of Time to return to his childhood, and took steps to stop Ganondorf before he could have ever taken power." All of what they were saying now went entirely against what I knew, but I didn't interrupt, and let Fi continue their explanation. "This created two separate timelines, with different histories. But the damage done already had allowed for a third timeline as well. Normally, when two outcomes are equally possible, only one occurs. But due to the unique circumstances, which have never been repeated and likely never will, both took place: one in which the Hero won, and one in which the Hero had lost his battle against Ganon. It is that timeline that you live in now."

In one conversation, Fi had shattered the Infinite Worlds Hypothesis, as least as far as I could tell, and revealed that the world in which I lived, that I grew up, was one of three that existed, simultaneous, parallel to each other. My mouth was dry, and as I neared the camp and turned around once more, I asked them, "When I'm done for the day, can we talk more about this? I...need to focus more on my work right now." Fi had no problems with that, so over the next few hours, I focused on doing what I was supposed to be doing. By the time back to camp, I'd surveyed about half the area I needed, and found a total of four secondary sites, though none of them looked particularly noteworthy at first glance.

We held off on the further discussion until I'd made myself a big dinner, to help make-up for how exhausted I was from my work all day. Once I was sitting next to the Master Sword, headset disconnected so we could talk face-to-sword, and I asked Fi how they knew all that timeline stuff. "Being an immaterial being, only tied to the physical world through the Master Sword, I exist in all timelines simultaneously." I choked a little on my rice curry, amazed at trying to imagine what that would be like. "Currently, in one timeline, my sword is in a museum, while in the other, my sword is under an ocean."

I laughed at that. "Well, that last one sounds boring." Then, realizing what we usually talked about, my heart began beating faster as I asked excitedly, "Can you tell me about a Hero from another timeline, one who we don't even know about?!" I couldn't believe I'd missed the most obvious benefit the timelines gave me: new Heroes to learn about!

After making a sound of confirmation that sounded like a bell ringing, Fi started filling me in. "In the timeline wherein the Hero of Time went back to his childhood, and was able to lay evidence of Ganondorf's crimes before the rightful authorities shortly after he took the Triforce of Power, the Gerudo King was arrested by the Sages and put on trial for his actions. He tried to fight back, but was not used to the power he then held, only managing to slay one Sage before being sealed in the Twilight Realm."

Fi must have known I was going to ask about that, so they told me, "I may inform you further regarding the Twilight Realm at a later date. For now, I can tell you that it is another plane of existence, like the Sacred Realm. Ganondorf waited there, injured by the Sages, for eons. But he was not alone. Centuries before Ganondorf was born, a group of Sheikah, trying to take the Triforce for themselves, were sealed in the Twilight Realm as well, Ganondorf began to manipulate them as his pawns. It took many years, but eventually an usurper, backed by Ganondorf, invaded Hyrule. It was then that the Hero known later as the Hero of Light took up my sword and fought to save Hyrule."

A ran a hand through my hair, which I then realized was getting a bit shaggy. It was hard finding someone to cut my hair in a way that I liked, and the person I'd settled on was expensive. Still, in the meantime I'd have a cool Woodland Warrior look, or at least that's what I told my self. Focusing back on the conversation, I asked Fi, "What else can you tell me of the Hero of Light?"

They seemed to consider the question a little, before telling me, "They came from Ordon Village, a region that does not exist in this timeline due to differences in expansion and etymology. Due to a curse he suffered during his adventure, he was able to turn into a wolf." I had been taking even more detailed notes than normal, and couldn't help adding a subfooting to that one about how much _certain_ mythology fans would find that very interesting indeed. "His traveling companion was the Princess of the Twilight Realm, who had been transformed into an imp. As for his personality, he was...sweet."

I asked them to better define that for me, and Fi tried to explain. "The Hero of Light often tried very hard to appear serious, but was too warm hearted and good natured to ever really pull it off. He gained many female suitors, all of whom were attracted to that quality in him." I wanted to make a comment about their taste, but then again my taste was mostly limited to strong, confident women who could carry me fireman style, so I had no room to talk. "He was also too honorable for his own good."

That raised a flag for me. "What do you mean by that? Weren't all the Heroes, well, Heroes? I can't imagine they'd be the type someone would call dishonorable." Most modern recreations of the Heroes went all into the whole knight thing: chivalrous, bound by a code of honor, stick up their ass, the whole nine yards.

"That is not the meaning I had meant to convey," Fi told me, sounding more than a little exasperated. "Perhaps it would be better to say he had little creativity. Other incarnations of the Hero were quite intelligent when it came to solving puzzles, and could use that same ingenuity to solve difficult fights in creative ways, rather than fighting traditionally." That made more sense to me. After all, for some reason the Hylian culture had a long tradition of puzzles as security, so anyone in my field had to have a head for them. "But the Hero of Light was raised on stories of valiant knights, and internalized it far more than most other heroes. Due to this, he rarely sought out-of-the-box solutions, and instead focused on knightly combat." Then, Fi made a sound almost like laughter, and it sounded like the purest music imaginable. "It is humorous, for another incarnation, a true Knight of Hyrule, was the most crafty and cunning incarnation in their history." My hopes were raised, and then dashed. "But that is a story, perhaps, for tomorrow. You need your rest, Shel'ra."

Rolling my eyes, I told them. "Yes, _Mom_," and packed things up for the night. Still, it was hard to fall asleep, even as tired as I was. Heroes in other worlds, other histories, that we knew nothing about. Was there a me in that universe? Or had the timelines diverged so much that anything like that was impossible? Considering what Fi had told me about where they were in both timelines, I knew it was unlikely I'd ever learn. But when I fell asleep that night, I did end up dreaming of a Sheikah girl with blood-red eyes in a desert, digging for something. What it was, I still do not know.


	6. The Hero of the Wilds

I've always been an athletic person, I have to be with what I do, but that morning I woke up feeling awful. I'd been doing a lot lately, and my body was starting to really complain about it all. Still, I had a job to do. Despite the complaints from my calves, I got out of my tent and tried to face that day. Soon, breakfast had been eaten, Fi's laptop and my headset had been set up, and it was time to canvas the second half of the circle. Fi must have realized I wasn't feeling great, and didn't say much for a little while.

The quiet was actually starting to bother me, after getting so used to talking to them, so I broke it by asking, "Fi, can you sleep?" It was a weird question, what with Fi being an immaterial sword spirit and all, but I wanted to understand them better.

"Not in a way that correlates directly to an organic experience," was Fi's immediate answer. Like many of Fi's attempts to respond to my questions, I didn't feel like I'd actually gotten what I was looking for. Fi continued, as if to clarify, "I do not have a centralized nervous system, and thus do not require periods of rest to maintain cognitive faculties. However, due to the fact I was designed to exist for time in perpetuity, I am able to enter an inactive state for vast periods of time at my discretion."

Running their words through my head again, I put together what you meant. "So, you don't need to sleep, but you can just kind of half-turn off whenever you want?" They gave me the ringing sound they had begun to establish as the sound of me saying something correct, which made me laugh. I was making good time so far, though I still hadn't found any more secondary sites.

Continuing the trend they'd been setting the last few days, Fi asked me more about my personal life. "What is your..._family_ like?" The way they pronounced the word almost sounded like they were tasting it as they said it. I idly wondered if the idea of family units were as foreign to the sword spirit as romance was.

It wasn't a question I super wanted to answer, but I also knew Fi was just curious, so I gave them a brief overview. "I've got a dad, still alive last time I checked. Haven't seen him in-person in years, he still lives in Kakariko. We send electronic messages back and forth on occasion though." I didn't tell them how I'd often felt pressured by his passive judgement of my life and my choices. "I've got no clue where my mom is, she left us when I was, like, four or so. Oh! And there's my younger sister, Paza. She's just heading off to college now." It felt...uncomfortable to think about her for too long. "We...used to be really close. But ever since I moved away, we've kind of drifted apart."

Fi didn't say anything about my family life, one way or another. There was no judgement, so far as I could tell. I did wonder what they thought about it all. After all, they'd existed for, what, thousands of years? Didn't families used to be a lot more close-knit back in the day? But, then again, everything I knew about her various masters told me that family was rarely a large part of their lives. Talking more about the whole subject was something for another day.

But right then and there, I had to stuff all of that in a darker part of my mind, and save it for another day. Because as I made another pass through the woods, I saw something. It looked like the top half of a building, though so much moss and other plantlife had grown on it that at first glance it looked like a small cave. It was more like the corner of a structure, with one end stuck in the dirt, and the interior only accessible from an opening in the front. It was large, too, but the trees around it were so thickly grown that seeing it before had been impossible. To get inside, I'd need to crawl down, the opening was pretty low to the ground. With no clue what was inside, and my heart hammering in my chest, I carefully took out a flag and tagged the secondary site on the side of the structure, into the moss.

I'd been doing everything I could to move quietly, but I'd moved to stick the flag in a bad spot. Setting it there dislodged a large clump of nature's detritus nearby, which fell to the ground with a wet _slap_, the moisture having come from the morning dew. The instant the sound entered the air, I heard something inside the structure, and began to retreat. Fear was coursing through my body, my heart hammering in my chest, as I saw the carapace of an insectoid leg emerge from the inside of the secondary site.

My sense of how time was flowing was radically warped by the adrenaline pumping into me, so it felt like the Gohma Queen took both an eternity and an instant to emerge from its hiding place, an enormous eye staring directly at me. But I hadn't come unprepared, and I was not someone to be treated lightly. I pulled out some knives, and my fight with the monster began.

Not to disappoint, but I will not try to describe to you my fight with the Gohma Queen. I barely remember it myself, and it's probably way cooler in your head. The best I can tell you is that I was running on training and instinct, and I was lucky. After what felt like a full day of combat, the Gohma Queen's corpse was bleeding out into the forest floor, it's eye punctured by a well placed through of a knife. I was uninjured, but sweat poured into my clothing as I tried to refocus and get back into reality.

"-'ra, are you there?" Fi's voice startled me, and I realized they'd been talking to me this whole time, I was just too busy to notice, let alone respond. They sounded worried, more emotion in their words than I'd ever heard before.

After double checked my enchanted flag marker was still planted correctly, I let her know I was okay. "I'm fine," I said between gasps for air. "Found where the Gohma Queen was hiding, killed her. As far as I can tell, I'm uninjured."

I got a reply right away. "I am grateful to hear that," they told me, and I could hear how true that was from the relief in their voice. "In the future, please advise me to such events occurring while they are happening. If the battle had turned out differently, I would have been dismayed to never learn of what occurred." Now their words carried a hint of anger, and I had to admit I hadn't even considered that. I mumbled another apology, and went back to work.

The rest of my sweep went by in what felt like no time at all, and soon I was back at camp, as late afternoon was starting to set in. Too tired to make a big dinner, I just grabbed a few protein bars to eat one after another. Even the effort of opening up the plastic for them felt almost like it was too much. I disconnected the headset as I sat near the Master Sword, looking at it as I said, amiably, "I think you promised me a story."

I hadn't forgotten how the day before had ended, and Fi apparently hadn't either. "That is correct," Fi began, with just a hint of an annoyed tone to it. "During my explanation of the qualities of the Hero of Light, I mentioned there existed a Hero who was a genuine Knight of Hyrule, while also being incredibly creative in his problem solving skills. Have you heard of a hero who slept for 100 years?"

Amazed to even hear that question, I nodded. "Of course, you're talking about the Hero of the Wilds!" Once again pumped up to share what I knew (or thought I knew) about my speciality subject, I started talking, "As far as we're aware, he seems to be the most recent Hero, most likely having had his adventures about 510ish years ago, during the Calamity." I shuddered at the thought, easily one of the darkest periods of Hyrule's history. "But, while we do know what he **did**, we don't know nearly as much about that hero's personality, or even his origins."

I was very eager to finally get some clues in that direction, and Fi was happy to supply them for me. "Born a commoner, he rose to the rank of Knight through hard work, even becoming the personal Knight of Princess Zelda before the Calamity. In order to protect him, Zelda had him sealed in stasis for 100 years, and when he emerged, he had lost all his memories." That was news to me, and I made sure to underline that point. "He regained his memories over the course of his journey, and reconnected with many friends, dead and alive, from before his sleep."

It was interesting to learn that he'd actually been born before the cataclysm. While some stories mentioned him being incredibly long-lived, most scholars thought the Hero of the Wilds was likely born near the end of the Calamity. "What about the stuff you said, about his ingenuity?" I asked.

"Where the Hero of Light always took a simple route, the Hero of the Wilds would get dizzy if he tried to walk in a straight line," Fi explained, their voice sounding warm. "He always would come up with the most ridiculous ideas, but they somehow often worked. He was never above taking any advantage he could get in reaching his objective. His only real failing was a lack of...determination." That sounded weird to me, and I looked at Fi, wanting to hear more. "Most incarnations of my master have faced seemingly insurmountable challenges, dangerously lethal odds, ready to risk everything. But this particular time...he was more cautious. No, that is not the correct word. It almost felt as though, whenever he saw something that looked too difficult, he would elect to redirect his attention to something more manageable, and face the first thing later, when he felt more ready."

That definitely sounded more than a little odd to me. Weren't the heroes...courageous? Weren't they the ones who held the Triforce of Courage itself? But as I turned over the idea in my head, I started to understand. "It wasn't like he was cowardly," I said, as I worked it out. "More like he wanted to be smart about it all." Fi made a noise of confirmation, but then I realized how dark it was getting. Even without a Gohma Queen to scare me, I still needed my sleep. The next day would be my last in that camp, and I had one last task before I had to take my findings back to the university. The fact that also meant saying goodbye to Fi weighed heavily in my heart, and made me restless as I tossed and turned in my sleep.


	7. The Hero of Winds

My last morning at the ruins went by quickly. It was like usual, only this time, when I was done using anything, I packed it up for good. The last task was visual preservation, or in less fancy terms, taking photographs. I had bought a dozen disposable cameras just for that purpose, and used all their slots of pictures of the ruins, the secondary sites, and obviously the Master Sword and its pedestal. They were from a lot of different angles, making sure that it was abundantly clear this was all real through sheer overpowering visual evidence.

"I have one last story for you," Fi told me, after I sat down, my last task done. The finality of it was overpowering, for both of us I think. "This is from another timeline, the one left behind when the Hero of Time, successful in sealing Ganondorf away, returned to his own past. As you can imagine from what I've told you of him, he left many friends and acquaintances melancholy in his absence. But Hyrule healed from the long reign of Ganondorf. Unfortunately, as you may have noticed, peace never stays in this land for long. Somehow, Ganondorf returned, eager to wreak havoc on the land that had ousted him from power."

Excited to hear a new piece of Hero lore, I had the biggest smile on my face. "Let me guess, that's when some kid in green showed up to fight back?" After all, that's how it always went. Evil rose, and a Hero came to stop it.

"No." That single word shocked me so much that I couldn't even say anything. What did they mean? "Remember, Shel'ra, what world I am talking about. This is the world which festered under Ganondorf's rule for seven years, only abated once the Hero of Time fought him. After his work was done, he went to the past, to a different timeline which we have already spoken of. By doing this, without knowing it was the case, the Hero of Time left this timeline without a Hero. His spirit, cursed and blessed to reincarnate again and again, did not exist any longer."

The idea hadn't even occurred to me. The everlasting nature of the Hero was what everyone knew about him. The warrior in green, appearing to fight evil again and again and again. "What...what happened, then?" Even as I asked Fi the question, I felt like I knew the answer.

After all, whether beast or king or warrior, Ganondorf or Ganon, he always seemed invincible against anyone who wasn't the Hero. "I do not know for certain, I was inactive for most of this period, with no one to wield my sword. What I do know is that Ganondorf's forces breached all the way into Hyrule Castle, where the Master Sword was being held. Then...time froze. At least, it did for us. For the rest of Hyrule, a torrential rain began, one that flooded the entire world. Gone were the lush fields and wooded forests of Hyrule, replaced by the Great Sea. Those who survived populated the islands created from the flood, and over time, they largely forgot Hyrule ever existed. They made a new life for themselves, in their new world."

I ran a hand through my hair, trying to understand all of this. The other timeline they'd told me about, it was different, that was for sure. But it still sounded largely recognizable. This, though? A flooded world, an enormous ocean, Hyrule gone? "How...why did the world flood?" After all, if the ability for that to happen existed, should everyone in my timeline be aware of the risk.

Fi made a light buzzing sound, which I'd come to associate with them thinking about how to answer a question. "I am unaware. I was only among the people of the Great Sea for a limited time. They believed it was caused by the Golden Goddesses, but I have seen no evidence for that. Considering what I know of Them, the probability They were responsible for the downpour is 0.2%." For once I definitely understood what Fi was getting at. My knowledge of the Goddesses was pretty scant, but even I knew a key tenant of it all was that they had left, long before Hyrule even existed. "Even such a cataclysmic event could not stop Ganondorf forever, however." Now this was just getting ridiculous, I thought to myself. Not even the world flooding did more than slow the guy down?

I was just about to ask for more details, when Fi started supplying them. "Once again managing to evade the seals used to contain him, he began to manipulate the people of the Great Sea. He required the newest incarnation of Zelda, who had been raised as a pirate." I will not lie, the second I heard that I instantly decided that had to be the best Zelda ever. Princesses are cool and all, but a pirate? Perfection. "He was not aware of that fact, and set about kidnapping every Hylian girl of the right age."

Now that raised some questions for me. "You say that like it wasn't too many people. Was there a large demographic shift?" It wasn't why I got into anthropology in the first place, but years in the field had still made population shifts like that an instant flag for possible study.

"Centuries of living on islands, the dissolution of any central Hylian government, and more frequent trading and intermarriage with people of other countries led to Hylians, especially ones who had still had their pointed ears, a minority on the Great Sea." A made sure to circle all of what I'd just taken down and add an arrow next to it that said, 'Share with Shad from the History department, he will owe me big-time.' That guy was always interested in that whole 'course of history' stuff, so something like this would make him start salivating. "One of the girls kidnapped was Aryll, a young girl who lived with her grandmother and older brother. That brother would leave his home to save her, and in the process, began to be called the Hero of Winds." There was a new scrap of info for me, apparently some of their titles happened while they were still out and adventuring.

But what they'd said also raised a new question. "Didn't you say that there weren't any more reincarnations though?"

"You are under the mistaken impression," Fi told me, sounding like a teacher correcting their favorite pupil. "That one must be a reincarnation of the Hero to wield the Master Sword, or be a hero at all. That is not the case. This young boy had no special destiny. He was no one, a child with nothing to his name. Not a reincarnation, not a descendant, of no relation in any way to any other Hero before him." The pieces started falling into place for me, and I gasped as I understood what they meant. "But nonetheless, he faced every challenge needed, and took my sword as his own."

The idea that someone who wasn't supposed to be a Hero could just...be one anyway, it stunned me. I thought back to when I'd first arrived, and asked, "I tried pulling the sword out when I first got here. Why wasn't I able to get your sword out?" I wasn't trying to sound indignant, but I was a bit peeved to learn that apparently the fact I wasn't a reincarnation of some Hylian boy wasn't the only reason I didn't get the cool sword.

After a short pause, where I'm guessing Fi was finding the best way to tell me what I wanted to know as delicately as they could, they said, "Reincarnation of the Hero or not, there are often enchantments and other barriers that prevent most people from pulling this sword from its pedestal. The requirements change depending on the era and the situation, but in the broadest terms one must go on a quest and prove themselves worthy of objects relating to the Golden Goddesses in order to be able to pull the Master Sword free." That made more sense to me, though since then I've wondered, what with the vagueness of the requirements, if going to three different coffee shops and ordering drinks themed around Din, Nayru, and Farore would work.

Now that I better understood what we were talking about, I decided to go along with the usual questions. Except, as I thought more about it, I realized they didn't really apply. "I was going to ask what the Hero of Winds was like," I started, scratching my head, "But it's a bit of a different case, isn't it? The other Heroes were just different versions of the same guy, raised in different circumstances, born to different people, but with the same soul. But this kid, he was literally someone completely different."

Fi made that sound they did when they were pleased with something I had said. "You are correct," they confirmed. "Relating his characteristics to the other Heroes is quite difficult, as they are, as some say, apples and oranges. What I can say, something that was largely unique to him, was his motivation. Many heroes did what they did for different reasons at the start, but in the end it came down to a combination of personal courage and a moral belief in doing what was right. The Hero of Winds, however, was a champion for others. He started his quest to save a sister, and continued it once she was safe because he learned others he cared about were in peril. His courage, for which he was able to receive the Triforce of Courage, came not from internal determination, but from love for others."

We talked a little more after that, as I started collapsing my tent, dissipating my magic circle, and in general gathering all my equipment. It was almost noon when there were no more excuses to be made. It was going to be a long trek out of these woods, and I wanted to make good time when there was still light out. The laptop was the last thing I hadn't packed up yet. Looking from it to the Master Sword, I can't deny I was getting emotional. "It's been...really good getting to know you, Fi." I've never been very good at goodbyes, but even for me that felt a bit rough.

"It was very pleasant getting to know you better as well, Shel'ra." Fi's voice was clearly tinged with just as much sadness, or at least as much sorrow as the sword spirit was capable of charging their sing-song voice with. "I had thought I would never converse with another being as long as I existed. Being proven wrong in that regard has been a positive experience. Be safe in your travels." Then, when I realized that was all they had to say, I powered down the computer and stored it away. I briefly rested one hand on the sword, then started heading back to civilization.

* * *

Looking back, I have a hard time even remembering my journey out of those woods. It was long, and exhausting, but all I could think about was getting home and taking the longest shower in Sheikah history. Once I'd finally reached the treeline, I checked my phone and saw I had service once again. Without wasting a second, I called work, and after navigating the automated menu, reached a person. "Castle Town University, how may I help you?" The woman on the other end sounded so bored she might fall asleep any second.

Smiling already, I told her, "Hey, Peatrice, it's Shel. Can you patch me through to my boss?" I got a grunt of annoyance back, but then the hold music started.

I was halfway through humming the fifth repeat of the non-music they used for people on hold when a gruff voice said, "Hello?" I won't lie, it was good to hear his voice again. "Is this you, Shel'ra?"

"Yeah, it's me, Ishi. I just got out of the forest, and let me tell you, I've got a **lot** to show you when I get back." I wasn't about to spill the beans on what I'd uncovered over the phone, for security reasons, and because I didn't want him thinking I had gone crazy. "All I can tell you now is that the expedition was more than worth the funding you got for me."

"Hm," was all he said at first, but I'd known the guy long enough to hear that for what it was: a confirmation he'd heard me without necessarily telling me he agreed. "I've told you before, as your supervisor, I would prefer it if you called me Mr. Dragmire." I was, and am, well aware of that fact, but it was much more fun to poke the grump when I could. "Thank you for the update, I look forward to the presentation of your findings once you've returned. Please be safe, and don't take any unnecessary risks." I said the last sentence with him as he did, matching the cadence of his words perfectly. He said it to me, and others, so often it hadn't been hard to memorize.

Feeling willing to push it a bit farther than I usually would, I told him "Sure thing, _Dad_," and hung up. The entire department enjoyed joking about him being their overprotective, overbearing dad, and the fact he didn't care for it made it even better.

The trip back to Castle Town was a long one, but I did as he asked and made sure not to do anything risky. After all, with the findings I had on me, I did want to be sure they all came back with me. Once back at the university, everyone had a small party to celebrate my return, and I got to work on compiling my findings into a cohesive whole for everyone to swallow. As I'd expected, it was a lot for them to believe, but I'd been too thorough for anyone to really doubt me. Still, we decided to wait until our case was even tighter before taking it public.

After a few months of waiting, during which I had a fling here or there and corresponded with my actual dad a few times, I finally got my project approved. The funding was more than ten times what I'd asked for last time around, and I was scared they'd never go for it. But true to form, Mr. Dragmire went to the mat for me, and I helped oversee it all. A new dirt road was built, from the nearest settlement to the forest, out to marker I'd placed for the primary site. Everyone else saw the same place I did, and more comprehensive analysis began.

But more than that, a small construction crew was able to carefully separate the pedestal holding the Master Sword from its base, and transport it back to the university. Other folks, especially Gorko, took full charge of investigating the sites, but the pedestal, and the sword, were mine. Once we had it set up in the lab, I told them how to connect the sword to a computer like I had, and lo and behold Fi got to talk to some new people.

Now fully confirmed to not have hallucinated all of it, Mr. Dragmire worked to take a drastic step: offering Fi a place on the university staff. It took some negotiating for exact rites and obligations, but they finally settled on something amiable to all parties. An IT department worked with Fi so they could use other programs to give themselves a visual representation on the network, able to interact with anyone through any computer on the intranet. They chose an avatar that looked like a blue and purple figure, with no arms, and an androgynous, if feminine, appearance.

It took a little while for everyone to get used to the new member of the staff, just as we were working on how to publish everything we'd learned. One day, as I was bashing out the beginnings of a full paper of everything Fi had helped us learn, they appeared on my screen, and talked to me through my headphones. "I have wanted to tell you," they said, their voice just as magical as the first time I'd heard it. "That I greatly appreciate what you have done for me. I had expected to remain in that grove until my sword was needed once more."

As much as I wanted to laugh, I worked instead to screw up my face in a frown. "What, you didn't have any faith in me? Thought, after all the time we'd spent together, I'd just leave your brilliant mind to gather dust?" But then the act fell away and I smiled at them. "Until the next Hero needs your help, I want you here, with us." I didn't tell them 'with me' because, uh, well I'm still trying to work out what to do there. Like, they're a sword spirit. Got no gender. No body either. I've heard of cyberdating, but that's a bit ridiculous.

So, yeah, that's my story. How a small expedition into an old forest turned into so much more.

Though it feels weird to call it 'my story'. I mean, that implies I won't have others later on.

Who can really say where life will take you? I never thought I'd be friends with an immaterial being of ancient origins.

Yet here I am, besties with a being I barely understand.

But you don't have to understand someone to be their friend.

You just have to love them.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I can't believe I've finished this. I've been working on this story in my head for years, before I ever actually started putting fingers to keyboard. I hope you enjoyed it, and if you want to see more of Shel'ra, Fi, and the rest of the office, let me know.


End file.
